


R is for Rocks

by Solstice0612



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2015-07-28
Packaged: 2018-04-11 08:39:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4428728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solstice0612/pseuds/Solstice0612
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daniel gave his friends a special gift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	R is for Rocks

**Author's Note:**

> My sincere thanks to Sg1mouse and Fig Newton for their helpful beta work.

“You gave us a rock for Christmas?” asked General Jack O’Neill, raising his eyebrows.

Behind him, beyond the small window in the bulkhead, the universe seemed to rush by as the _Hammond_ journeyed through deep space. Most of the crew was given a few hours break to celebrate the end-of-the-year holidays. Generals Jack O’Neill and Sam Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson and Master Teal’c had shared a nice Christmas meal with the crew, including a few traditional trimmings the kitchen staff were able to keep in the freezer for a couple of weeks.

Back in Jack’s quarters, the members of the first SG-1 team were huddled in the small sitting area, exchanging a few personal gifts. The General had hand-picked his former teammates for this mission. It was a long trip, so he might as well pass the time among friends. Besides, few would dare to argue that they were not the best people for the job.

“Is this a traditional Christmas present?” asked Teal’c, looking at the colorful box with a plum-size rock inside it.

As far as rocks went, the porous and uneven surface of the dark stone did not look particularly interesting.

“Only if you were a bad boy,” said Sam with a giggle. Since she had become a General she no longer bothered to hide her infectious laughter.

“It’s not about that. It’s from the Andromeda galaxy.”

“Daniel, ya know how I feel about rocks. Didn’t you exit by the gift shop?”

“Well, sir, to be honest, that’s all that was left on the surface of the planet with the Stargate. According to the reports, the place looked pretty dead.”

“Carter, I read the reports.”

Three pair of eyes grew in size as they looked at the General.

“What?... It happens.”

Teal’c was the first one to recover.

“Daniel Jackson, is this rock meant to be comparable to what the Tau’ri call a ‘moon rock’?”

“In a way, since there was not much else we could grab wearing space suits. But that isn’t why I’m giving you these rocks. The planet was at the edge of an area of space affected by a supernova. The remnants were still visible in the sky.”

“Then why is there a Stargate at that location?” asked Teal’c.

“Well, that’s really the big question, isn’t it?” asked Daniel. “The Gate was obviously placed there after the nova. We found the address in the Asgard database and gave it a try. At least the remnants of the nova we observed explained to me something about this particular star.”

“Why is that?” asked Sam.

“Because this nova was visible on Earth a little over two millennia ago.”

“You mean, this rock comes from a planet near a star that went kablooie 2,000 years ago?“

“Ah, no, sir. The supernova took place more than 2 million years ago. It’s just that it was…”

“… seen on Earth 2,000 years ago; got that, Carter.”

“Oh my god, Daniel! I get it too!” exclaimed Sam, wonder sparkling in her blue eyes as she looked at the dark object in her hand.

Jack’s eyebrows met in the middle while Teal’c’s right one went up. Daniel took advantage of their temporary confusion to continue with his explanation.

“This nova was seen on Earth around 2,015 years ago, when tradition says a bright star was visible for a few days over the Middle Eastern sky,” offered the archeologist.

“Daniel, you mean, the Andromeda supernova. . . is THAT star?” said Jack, as he stopped tossing the rock up in the air.

“Yep. Over Bethlehem,” clarified Daniel with a sweet smile.

“Daniel Jackson, is this about the story of the Baby Jesus in the Manger with the Bethlehem Star that is associated with Tau’ri Christian mythology?”

“Yes it is, Teal’c. The Bethlehem Star supposedly shone above the place where the messiah was born so people could go welcome the baby.”

“Wow,” said Jack looking at the rock more closely. “But that means that when the star exploded all those who lived out there near it…”

Everyone in the room felt silent contemplating what such devastation could mean to countless civilizations now lost forever to the unrelenting workings of nature.

“But how could such a supernova be a good omen?” questioned Teal’c.

“It is hard to reconcile, Teal’c,” said Daniel. “I guess that if a star had to be so extinguished, at least it brought some hope to others in its passing.”

“And this rock?”

“A Christmas keepsake for all of us to remember this journey together, Jack,” said Daniel as he took his own rock from his pocket and put it on the low table next to other three stones.

When faced with the incomprehensible vastness of the universe--the meaning of life stuff--this tight family of friends found the answers in each other’s company. Around them, the _Hammond_ maintained its unwavering speed as it cut through the darkness of space in its flight towards Andromeda.

 

\-- The End -–

 

**Author's Note:**

> This story is my SG1-flavored homage to one of the best science fiction stories I’ve ever read, “The Star,” by Arthur C. Clarke. There have been claims that a hyper-nova in Andromeda was visible shortly before the birth of Christ. However, there is only one sighting of a supernova in that galaxy that is supported by the historical and scientific record, SN 1885A, which was visible in 1885 and by telescope only.


End file.
